The Manhattan courthouse where testimony wrapped up Wednesday in the civil fraud trial of former President Trump was evacuated hours later, leaving more than a dozen people hurt in an incident not believed to be tied to that case. The New York City Fire Department reports that 17 people suffered minor injuries in the small fire at the New York State Supreme Court Building, with sources suggesting the injuries resulted from exposure to fire extinguisher irritants, per ABC News. Two of those hurt, including a court officer and a sergeant, were taken to a local hospital for observation, then released; the rest, mainly court officers, declined treatment at the scene.
"Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 4:15pm today, an individual depressed a fire extinguisher on the fourth floor ... to douse a fire he had set to papers," Office of Court Administration rep Al Baker said in a statement, adding that three floors of the courthouse were evacuated. A source tells NBC News that the suspect now in custody was believed to be a litigant, not a court employee. It's not yet clear what the motive might be.
Although it doesn't appear that the fire had anything to do with Trump's case, one of those evacuated was Judge Arthur Engoron, who's presiding over the former president's trial. The AP reports that those who were evacuated were allowed to return not long after the fire was extinguished, which the FDNY says happened before its firefighters arrived on the scene. An investigation is ongoing, per the OCA. (More fire stories.)
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